SOUTHEASTERN N.C. -- Local government costs to respond to Hurricane Florence were, in most cases, the highest ever, officials said.

“I’d venture to say this will be the most expensive cleanup in the city’s history,” Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said.

During the storm, local governments responded with emergency personnel and officials coordinating rescue responses and keeping the public informed about road closings and other hazards. After Florence roared through, cleanup efforts began, which will make up the lion’s share of expenses.

While most expenses likely will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- the region and state were declared disaster areas by President Donald Trump -- upfront costs are borne by local taxpayers, mainly through municipal governments tapping their savings accounts, of fund balance. Read full article.

Shell’s recent success in the US Gulf of Mexico includes its deepwater Dover discovery on Mississippi Canyon 612, reported last year, near its Appomattox platform. The well was drilled by the Deepwater Poseidon ultra-deepwater drillship. Sources: Shell, Transocean.

In lieu of the traditional shovel groundbreaking, Miami City Commission chair Ken Russell, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Miami city manager Emilio T. Gonzalez (pictured l-r) perform the ceremonial water toss to mark the start of the first Miami Forever Bond project tackling flooding and sea-level rise. (Photo by City of Miami Office of Communications)